Finding A Trusted Cybersecurity Partner

Most cybersecurity services have technology-driven security controls and deep subject matter expertise. Is that enough? Here are three ways to know whether your cybersecurity provider can be a trusted partner with a proven and well-vetted partner program.

1. Demonstrated Understanding of Mission-Critical Business Functions

Your cybersecurity partner should commit to understanding your unique business value by operating in-step with your organization. They should learn your business systems, networks and assets and then design a security strategy around it. A trusted cybersecurity partner is able to collaborate closely with your team to allow the integration of data; this is crucial in ensuring the uninterrupted operation of mission-critical business functions.

In addition, they should offer advanced security solutions tailored to your specific needs. This includes threat detection mechanisms that can identify and neutralize cyber threats before they can cause significant damage.

Moreover, the use of automation in their cybersecurity solutions can greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of threat detection and response. Automation can help to optimize the use of resources, reduce human error, and enable faster response times.

A managed service provider (MSP) can provide a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity services, including endpoint security and network security. Endpoint security protects your network by securing each endpoint, or user device, that connects to your network. Network security involves implementing measures to prevent and monitor unauthorized access, misuse, modification, or denial of your network and network-accessible resources.

It’s vital, therefore, that a trusted cybersecurity provider can consistently demonstrate their level of expertise when it comes to your preferred software. If your business runs on Microsoft, for example, you will need a specialized cybersecurity partner with proven expertise in Microsoft environments. That way, they can deliver the optimal combination of people, processes and applications to improve your security posture, as opposed to treating you just like any other client with cut-and-paste tools and approaches.

A robust firewall is another essential component of a comprehensive cybersecurity solution. A firewall acts as a barrier between your internal network and external cyber threats, blocking unauthorized access while allowing legitimate traffic to pass through.

Moreover, they should have the necessary certifications that validate their skills and knowledge in areas such as cloud security. These certifications are proof that they have undergone rigorous training and have met the standards set by the certifying bodies.

2. Commitment to Delivering Measurable Outcomes

When considering a cybersecurity partner program, it’s important to lay out in clear detail what they will be accountable for. They should be able to commit to delivering daily, weekly or monthly performance metrics.

This includes providing regular updates on the effectiveness of their security solutions in protecting your business from cyber threats. Service providers should also be transparent about their performance, allowing you to assess whether they are meeting your security needs and expectations.

Managed security services can provide an additional layer of protection for your business. These services, provided by external security providers, can include 24/7 monitoring and management of your security systems, threat intelligence, and incident response.

The role of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is crucial in managing and directing security procedures and protocols within an organization. The CISO works with the cybersecurity partner to ensure that the security strategies align with the business objectives.

Here are 10 relevant KPIs that your cybersecurity partner needs to deliver:

Intrusion Attempts Vs. Actual Security Incidents: Your cybersecurity provider should be reporting consistently on the enterprise’s existing vulnerabilities, the state of preparedness, and what responses have been logged to prevent an attack.
Mean Time to Detect (MTTD): This is an important metric that answers how fast your cybersecurity provider can identify an attack in order to contain it with minimal damage.
Mean Time to Respond (MTTR): Measures the time it takes to neutralize a threat and get systems back online. This is a critical metric because the longer an attack drags out, the higher the risks and costs become.
Mean Time to Contain (MTTC): This metric refers to the average time required to shut down all attack vectors across all endpoints and minimize the probability of any further damage.
Unidentified Devices on the Network: An ability to discover and tag unidentified devices greatly reduces the odds that someone has unauthorized access to the network.
Patching Cadence & Effectiveness: Unpatched vulnerabilities are the easiest way for hackers to gain entry into critical systems. Consistent patch management also prevents common system failures like incompatible hardware issues with a patch, or a patch that installs well but breaks something else.
Training Outcomes for Your Employees: Human error is the leading cause of cybersecurity failures and a single unintentional error by an uneducated user can take it all down. Your cybersecurity partner should deliver training outcomes for your employees and codify the right online security behaviors to all members of the organization from the CEO down.
Security Risk Assessments: Maps out the risks and vulnerabilities of all data that is collected, stored and managed in your entire network. It identifies all the possible threats, such as intentional, unintentional, technical, non-technical and structural, that your business’ data is exposed to.
Regulatory Compliance Assessments: Measures the effectiveness of security controls to demonstrate full compliance. For example, the Security Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) lists down the administrative, physical and technical safeguards needed to secure the integrity of Protected Health Information (PHI). If your business is mandated to comply with HIPAA, your cybersecurity partner should consistently produce documented evidence of safeguards, or else, risk facing punitive action for non-compliance.
Competition & Industry Benchmark Data: A trusted cybersecurity provider helps businesses to establish cybersecurity performance benchmarks against their competitors and the industry at large, to enhance their security program and maintain a competitive edge.

3. Prepared For Disaster Recovery & Business Rehabilitation

Finally, a cybersecurity provider goes beyond expectations to become a “trusted” partner by helping to develop a comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) for the businesses they serve. A DRP is a set of policies, tools, and protocols that enable the recovery or continuation of crucial technology infrastructure and systems in the event of a cyberattack.

Having a trusted cybersecurity partner that supports disaster recovery and business continuity, ensures that your organization is prepared for any eventuality that could cripple your business processes with significant downtime or data loss. And a company with a reliable disaster recovery plan stands a greater chance of fully recovering from even the most devastating incident.

Threat intelligence is another key aspect of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. By staying informed about the latest cyber threats and vulnerabilities, your cybersecurity partner can help you to anticipate and prepare for potential attacks.

Remediation is a critical part of a cybersecurity strategy. This involves taking action to resolve security vulnerabilities, incidents, or threats. A trusted cybersecurity partner will have security experts who can effectively manage remediation efforts, ensuring that issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.

Understanding the threat landscape is also crucial. This involves staying up to date with the latest cybersecurity threats and trends, and understanding how they could impact your business. A trusted cybersecurity partner will have a deep understanding of the threat landscape and will be able to provide guidance and advice on how to best protect your business.

In conclusion, a trusted cybersecurity partner is not just a service provider, but a strategic ally that can help you navigate the complex landscape of cyber threats. By offering advanced security solutions, maintaining relevant certifications, and specializing in areas such as cloud security and threat detection, they can provide the robust protection your business needs in today’s digital world.

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